SELECTIVE DEPROTECTION OF PHTHALYL PROTECTED AMINES

Phthalyl amidase selectively deprotects phthalimido groups under very mild aqueous conditions in a one-pot reaction to produce phthalic acid and the free amine. The enzyme has been shown to deprotect several pr imary amines of distinctly different structure, and exhibits chiral se lectivity when the substrate contains extensive beta-branching. The en zyme has a definite requirement for ortho positioning of the functiona l groups on a fixed axis of rotation. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Scie nce Ltd